NCAA analyst gives his 2 cents on Juju Watkins' "unfortunate" absence at USC

College basketball analyst Tee Baker gave his take on USC guard JuJu Watkins' absence in the 2025-26 season for the Women of Troy. Watkins, the reigning Women's Basketball Player of the Year, will sit out this season to rehabilitate and recover from the ACL tear in her right knee.

USC is scheduled to face defending champion UConn in a nonconference game on Dec. 13. Baker considered Watkins' absence on the court unfortunate, considering the hype of a supposed matchup between the 6-foot-2 guard and her Huskies counterpart, Azzi Fudd.

"It's unfortunate because I feel like the JuJu Watkins-Azzi (Fudd) angle is right there," Baker told "The Hoops Cap" host Mark Zanetto on Friday. (Timestamp 8:52). "JuJu's hurt, so she won't be able to participate in it. It's like ships in the night with those two because we won't get that moment."

The analyst noted that Watkins defines the current USC program and her presence on the sidelines at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, California, is expected to boost the Women of Troy's morale in the nonconference game against UConn.

Both teams met twice last season, with USC winning the regular-season game 72-70 on Dec. 21, 2024, before UConn exacted revenge in the Elite Eight 78-64 on Mar. 31. Watkins was absent in the Elite Eight clash due to an ACL injury.

The Huskies hold a 2-1 lead in their all-time rivalry with the Women of Troy. Watkins and Fudd, as well as 12 other women's basketball stars, are signed to NIL deals with the 3x3 basketball league Unrivaled as part of its "Future is Unrivaled" promotion.

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Tee Baker discusses new UConn player Kayleigh Heckel facing her former team angle

NCAA analyst Tee Baker delved into another angle where UConn guard Kayleigh Heckel is set to take on her former team.

A five-star prospect in the Class of 2024, Heckel transferred to the Huskies during the offseason after playing 34 games with the Women of Troy. The Port Chester, New York, native averaged 6.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals, despite seeing action in only 16.9 minutes per game.

"I love the Kayleigh Heckel 'returning home' (angle) even though she's an East Coast kid," Baker said (Timestamp: 9:19). "But going back to USC kind of seeing what that plays out like. So I love it."

Heckel helped Team USA win the gold medal in the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup. She averaged 12.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 3.7 apg in the tournament and was named to the U18 AmeriCup All-Tournament Second Team.

Heckel and Serah Williams were the two transfer acquisitions for UConn, who will also have freshmen Kelis Fisher, Gandy Malou-Mamel and Blanca Quiñonez no their 2025-26 season roster.